Collapsible exercise machine

ABSTRACT

In one embodiment, a collapsible exercise machine includes a seating assembly, a handlebar assembly, and a footrest assembly. The seating assembly includes an upper section configured with a seat for a user to sit on and a lower section supported by a support surface. The lower section is configured with a pair of frictional elements. The handlebar assembly is rotatably attached to the seating assembly and is supported by the support surface. The handlebar assembly includes a handlebar and a lower end section having a pair of wheels movable on the support surface. The footrest assembly is attached to the seating assembly and the handlebar assembly. The exercise machine is configured to transition between a first position and a second position, where the user exercises by overcoming resistance primarily generated by the user&#39;s own body weight in changing the exercise machine&#39;s position.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to exercisemachines. More particularly, embodiments of the invention relate tocollapsible exercise machines.

BACKGROUND

People who work long hours in an office environment wish to use exercisemachines more frequently, preferably without having to visit a fitnesscenter or gymnasium. As a result, many families would prefer to purchaseone to use at home. However, such exercise machines available in themarket occupy too much home space.

Exercise machines are usually configured to generate adjustableresistance and offer different levels of exercise for a user to choosefrom. Some exercise machines, known as stepper machines, are equippedwith a resistance generating hydraulic cylinder. Such stepper machinescan become overheated after using a short period of time. Other exercisemachines include various resistive load components for the user tochoose from and set a desired level of exercise. However, those exercisemachines can be difficult to move, besides occupying a large space.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example and notlimitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which likereferences indicate similar elements.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an exercise machine according to oneembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of an exercise machine according to oneembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3A shows a perspective view of a crossbar and a frictional elementof a seating assembly according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3B shows a sectional view of a crossbar and a frictional element ofa seating assembly according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4A shows a side view of an exercise machine according to oneembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4B shows a front view of an exercise machine according to oneembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4C shows a rear view of an exercise machine according to oneembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4D shows a top view of an exercise machine according to oneembodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4E shows a bottom view of an exercise machine according to oneembodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 5A and 5B show one position for a user to use an exercise machineaccording to one embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 6A and 6B show another position for a user to use an exercisemachine according to one embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various embodiments and aspects of the inventions will be described withreference to details discussed below, and the accompanying drawings willillustrate the various embodiments. The following description anddrawings are illustrative of the invention and are not to be construedas limiting the invention. Numerous specific details are described toprovide a thorough understanding of various embodiments of the presentinvention. However, in certain instances, well-known or conventionaldetails are not described in order to provide a concise discussion ofembodiments of the present inventions.

Reference in the specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment”means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic describedin conjunction with the embodiment can be included in at least oneembodiment of the invention. The appearances of the phrase “in oneembodiment” in various places in the specification do not necessarilyall refer to the same embodiment.

Embodiments of the invention improve traditional exercise machines byreplacing resistive loads or other resistance generating components witha mechanism in a collapsible exercise machine to use a user's own bodyweight to generate a desired level of resistance. In one embodiment, anexercise machine is configured to transition between a first positionand a second position, where the user exercises by overcoming resistanceprimarily generated by the user's own body weight in changing theexercise machine's position. In one embodiment, the exercise machine isfoldable to reduce space for storage. In one embodiment, the exercisemachine includes two or more pairs of footrest bars to provide differentlevels of exercise for the user to choose from.

In one embodiment, an exercise machine includes a seating assembly, ahandlebar assembly, and a footrest assembly. The seating assemblyincludes an upper section configured with a seat for a user to sit onand a lower section supported by a support surface (e.g., floor,ground). The lower section is configured with a pair of frictionalelements. The handlebar assembly is rotatably attached to the seatingassembly and is supported by the support surface. The handlebar assemblyincludes a handlebar at an upper end section for the user to hold ontowhile sitting on the seat and a lower end section having a pair ofwheels movable on the support surface. The footrest assembly is attachedto the seating assembly and the handlebar assembly. In one embodiment,the footrest assembly includes a first pair of footrest bars and asecond pair of footrest bars mounted at a lower position of the firstpair of the footrest bars. With such a configuration, the user can resthis or her feet at different positions with different resistance andexercise levels. In one embodiment, the seat assembly can be collapsedtowards the handlebar to reduce space for storage.

In one embodiment, the footrest assembly and the handlebar assembly areattached via an elongate linking member. The elongate linking member ispivotally mounted on the handlebar assembly and attached to the footrestassembly via a removable pin. The lower end section of the handlebarassembly includes a V-shape or U-shape section. The bottom or centerpart of the V-shape or U-shape section is attached to an intermediatesection coupling the upper end section and the lower end section. Thewheels are mounted on two ends of the V-shape or U-shape section.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an exercise machine 100 according to anembodiment of the invention includes seating assembly 120, handlebarassembly 140, and footrest assembly 160. Seating assembly 120 includesupper section 122 and lower section 124. Upper section 122 includes seat126 for a user to sit on, while lower section 124 is supported by asupport surface. Lower section 124 includes crossbar 134 fixed to thebottom part of lower section 124. Both ends of lower section 124 arecovered by a pair of frictional elements 128 (e.g., caps), which may bemade of rubber or the like and on which crossbar 134 can be pivotallymounted. The frictional elements 128 are to generate friction betweenthe exercise machine and the support surface to prevent the exercisemachine from unintentionally moving on the ground surface. Seatingassembly 120 includes bracket 131 for attaching stopper element 130(referred to as second stopper element hereinafter).

Referring now to FIGS. 3A and 3B, both frictional element 128 of seatingassembly 120 and crossbar 134 pivotally mounted on frictional element128 are shown. Crossbar 134 has two holes 129 to secure crossbar 134 tolower section 124 by screws. As shown in FIG. 3B, crossbar 134 includestwo projections 136/138 positioned near the left and right edges ofcrossbar 134, each of which fits within one of frictional elements 128having a corresponding recess. Thus, crossbar 134 is rotatably attachedto both frictional elements 128, while being secured to lower section124 of seating assembly 120.

Referring back to FIGS. 1 and 2, handlebar assembly 140 is supported bythe support surface and is rotatably attached to seating assembly 120via bolt 143. Handlebar assembly 140 includes handlebar 142 at upper endsection 141 for the user to hold onto while sitting on seat 126.Handlebar assembly 140 includes lower end section 144 having a pair ofwheels 146/148 movable on the support surface. In one embodiment, lowerend section 144 of handlebar assembly 140 includes V-shape (as shown inFIGS. 1 and 2) or U-shape section 145. The bottom or center part ofV-shape or U-shape section 145 is attached to intermediate section 147coupling upper end section 141 and the lower end section 144. Wheels146/148 are mounted on the ends of V-shape or U-shape section 145 via arespective U-shape bracket.

Footrest assembly 160 is mounted on seating assembly 120 via bolt 165.Footrest assembly 160 is also attached to handlebar assembly 140 viaelongate linking member 162. Elongate linking member 162 is attached tofootrest assembly 160 via removable pin 168 and pivotally mounted onhandlebar assembly 140 via bolt 169. Footrest assembly 160 includesfirst pair of footrest bars 164 and second pair of footrest bars 166mounted at a lower position than first pair of footrest bars 164. Inthis example, footrest bars 164 and 166 are formed in a U-shape bar. Thebottom or center portions of the footrest bars 164 and 166 are mountedon an elongate member. The elongate member is then mounted on lowersection 124. A user can rest his or her feet on either end of theU-shape bars. The user can place the feet at one of the two differentpositions to choose a desired level of exercise with suitableresistance. In another embodiment, more than two pairs of footrest barsmay be included in footrest assembly 160.

Referring now to FIGS. 5A and 5B, a user exercising on an exercisemachine according to one embodiment of the invention is shown. In FIGS.5A and 5B, the user puts her feet on first pair of footrest bars 164.FIG. 5A shows a first position where the user rests her on the exercisemachine. In this position, first stopper element 150 is in contact withupper section 122 of seating assembly 126 and stopping the same, therebysupporting the user's body weight. First stopper element 150 is fixed toor is part of handlebar assembly 140. The first position is also aposition when the exercise machine is not in use. FIG. 5B shows a secondposition where the user pulls handlebar 142 by hand towards her body andpushes footrest bars away by feet until second stopper element 130 is incontact with and stops lower end section 144 of handlebar assembly 140.As is more clearly shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4A, second stopper element130 is attached to lower section 124 of seating assembly 120 viaremovable pin 132 and bolt 133. The resistance the user overcomes duringher exercise to move the exercise machine from the first position to thesecond position is generated primarily by the user's own body weight,thereby eliminating the needs for any resistive loads or otherresistance generating components, such hydraulic cylinders in manystepper machines.

FIGS. 6A and 6B show a user exercising on an exercise machine by puttingher feet on second pair of footrest bars 166. The second pair offootrest bars 166 are mounted at a lower position than first pair offootrest bars 164, providing the user with a different level ofexercise.

Referring back to FIGS. 1, 2, and 4A, according to one embodiment of theinvention, exercise machine 100 is foldable by making seat assembly 120collapse towards handlebar 142 to reduce space for storage. As shown inFIGS. 1 and 2 and described above, two removable pins 168 and 132 areused to attach elongate linking member 162 to footrest assembly 160 andto attach second stopper element 130 to seating assembly 120,respectively.

By removing removable pin 168, elongate linking member 162 releasesfootrest assembly 160 from being attached thereto. After releasing,footrest assembly 160 drops in a direction 172 towards lower section 124of seating assembly 120 by the effect of gravity. Then, footrestassembly 160 can be secured to another position closer to lower section124 of seating assembly 120 where holes 171 and 170 overlap, byre-inserting removable pin 168 into both holes 171 and 170, for example,for the purposes of locking footrest assembly 160 again to seatingassembly 120 and keeping removable pin 168 close to exercise machine 100when exercise machine 100 is folded.

Similarly, by removing removable pin 132 attaching second stopperelement 130 to lower section 124 of seating assembly 120, second stopperelement 130 is released from the position preventing lower end section144 of handlebar assembly 140 from being folded. After releasing, secondstopper element 130 drops in a direction 137 towards the support surfaceby the effect of gravity. As is more clearly shown in FIG. 4A andsimilar to pin 168, second stopper element 130 can be secured at anotherposition facing downwards when hole 135 and another hole 139 (see FIG.2) located on second stopper element 130 overlap, by re-insertingremovable pin 132 into both holes 135 and 139, for example, for thepurposes of attaching second stopper element 130 again to seatingassembly 120 and keeping removable pin 132 close with exercise machine100 when exercise machine 100 is folded.

FIG. 4A shows a side view of an exercise machine according to oneembodiment of the invention. FIG. 4B shows a front view of an exercisemachine according to one embodiment of the invention. FIG. 4C shows arear view of an exercise machine according to one embodiment of theinvention. FIG. 4D shows a top view of an exercise machine according toone embodiment of the invention. FIG. 4E shows a bottom view of anexercise machine according to one embodiment of the invention.

In one embodiment, exercise machine 100 includes a display unit todisplay user exercise information or data related to an exercisesession. For example, such information or data may include the timespent on an exercise session, the calorie consumed, etc.

Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention set forthherein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which theinvention pertains having the benefit of the teachings presented in theforegoing description and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is tobe understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specificembodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments areintended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a genericand descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

What is claimed is:
 1. An exercise machine, comprising: a seatingassembly having an upper section configured with a seat for a user tosit on and a lower section supported by a support surface with a pair offrictional elements, a handlebar assembly rotatably attached to theseating assembly and supported by the support surface, the handlebarassembly having a handlebar at an upper end section for the user to holdonto while sitting on the seat and a lower end section having a pair ofwheels movable on the support surface; and a footrest assembly attachedto the seating assembly and the handlebar assembly.
 2. The exercisemachine of claim 1, wherein the footrest assembly and the handlebarassembly are attached via an elongate linking member, the elongatelinking member pivotally mounted on the handlebar assembly and attachedto the footrest assembly.
 3. The exercise machine of claim 2, whereinthe lower end section of the handlebar assembly includes a V-shape orU-shape section, and wherein the V-shape or U-shape section is attachedto an intermediate section coupling the upper end section and the lowerend section of the handlebar assembly.
 4. The exercise machine of claim3, wherein the wheels are mounted on two ends of the V-shape or U-shapesection.
 5. The exercise machine of claim 2, wherein the footrestassembly comprises: a first pair of footrest bars; and a second pair offootrest bars mounted at a lower position of the first pair of thefootrest bars, such that the user can exercise at different positionswith different resistance.
 6. The exercise machine of claim 2, whereinthe seat assembly can be collapsed towards the handlebar to reduce spacefor storage.
 7. The exercise machine of claim 2, wherein the exercisemachine is configured to transition between a first position and asecond position by the user overcoming resistance generated primarily bythe user's own body weight, the first position being a position when theexercise machine is not in use.
 8. The exercise machine of claim 7,wherein the first position is defined by a first stopper elementdisposed on the handlebar assembly while being in contact with the uppersection of the seating assembly, and the second position is defined by asecond stopper element disposed on the seating assembly while being incontact with the lower end section of the handlebar assembly.
 9. Theexercise machine of claim 8, wherein the user exercises on the exercisemachine by using both hands and feet of the user to switch the exercisemachine between the first position and the second position.
 10. Theexercise machine of claim 9, wherein the exercise machine is foldable byremoving a first pin mounting the elongate linking member on thefootrest assembly and removing a second pin fixing the second stopperelement on the seating assembly.
 11. The exercise machine of claim 2,wherein the lower section of the seating assembly includes a crossbarmounted on the frictional elements, the frictional elements to generatefriction between the exercise machine and the support surface preventingthe exercise machine from unintentionally moving on the support surface.12. The exercise machine of claim 11, wherein the crossbar is configuredwith two projections each of which fits within one of the frictionalelements.
 13. The exercise machine of claim 2, further comprising adisplay unit to display user exercise information.